Bring in the Telepath
by MartaJones
Summary: The title is a play on "bring on the clowns", an old saying that my family used to say. A woman with a special talent is brought in to represent the "non-Milky Way natives". Rated M for possible future interplay... The main character is my own OC
1. Prolouge

The pain was intense, deep and seemingly eternal. She had never thought, in her wildest dreams, that this pain could be this real, this intense and NOT kill her. The thought of living the next few years, decades….with this pain in her soul every moment, every day was heavy, obstructing her vision, clouding her mind and tearing her soul into pieces.

_BETRAYED…LIAR…._

ON her knees, bent over, the agony creating in her a hole in which everything good, and sweet, and life-giving disappeared. She felt his mind reaching for her, touching her shields, begging entrance, but she tightened against him, thickened her shields against him, against everything…all the pain, all the emotions, all the feelings… The City queried her, begging for her status, but she couldn't reply, so lost was she in her pain. Death would be welcomed, a release. She rose, ordered her companion to stay, to care for the others and exited the room, walking to the lift. The City, the mental "voice" insistent, queried her for her status again, but she ignored it. ON the first level of the tower, she strode through the door, into the bright sunshine of the new planet. The sun, bigger and more yellow than from her home, the seas beyond the city more green than blue, but with a strange sparkle unfamiliar to her human eyes…

_Not human….alien, beloved, BETRAYER…._ The pain, not even dulled before, came back more intense, deeper… She thought the pain would smother her, stop her breathing, stop her heart.

_Heart…love….his beloved, her beloved….his LIES…._ She wanted to scream, to vent, to cry…but her eyes refused to cry. Like her alien lover, who had no tear ducts, who couldn't find the release of tears, her own tears felt dammed up, frozen in the infinite pain.

Blinded by the pain, she was surprised to find herself at the end of the furthest pier. Looking over the alien sea, on an alien planet that had never been her intent, she felt the burn of tears, but before they could fall, they froze in the pain. She had left everything she loved, for the one she thought was the love of her life, her soul mate, her beloved. She had ignored the possibility that he was manipulating her, believing her heart when it told her that he loved her, that she was his beloved….and now, here in this alien place, she knew the pain of betrayal.

_:I did not lie to you, beloved….please…let me speak to you….._:

She cut his mind off from hers, building the walls thicker, heavier, deeper. Like the walls of his ship, his home that she would never see….

:Commander..please…..you need to respond: The City, its sentience even more pronounced back here, in her own place, on the planet she was created on, was insistent, stronger, in her head and on the PA system. The urgency in the "voice" of the City was clear and present, as was the urgency of the voice of her beloved…her betrayer….

_PAIN….AGONY…. LET IT END…..PLEASE LET IT END…..I DON'T WANT TO LIVE THIS WAY….._

_:NO!:_

:NO:  "NO!"

The voices were loud, but drowned out by her pain….moving slowly, she sat on the edge of the railing, forcing her body, her first betrayer onto the rail, turning, despite the pain the movement caused her physically. She was used to physical pain, had lived with it for years, learned to work around it, her mind, her gifts, never betrayed her, but her body had betrayed her for years. Fragile, ill, hurting, physically damaged and destroying itself. Someone had told her once, that a person could only have one full on strength….mental, intelligence, physical…no one was strong in all three; two out of three was the best you could hope for. Some had intelligence and physical strength, others had physical and mental, but the mind of a child. And others, like she herself, had the mental talents and intelligence, but a body that made pain a living, breathing part of her life.

_PAIN…so much heart pain…..the agony of betrayal…. _

"I did not betray you, Beloved…" Turning sharply, she nearly fell, only his strong, alien hands stopping her from plunging down 130 feet to the thrumming alien ocean below. It did not escape his notice, nor the city's, that she made no attempt to stop the fatal plunge, nor to grab either railing or the alien who stood now grasping her upper arms.

"LET ME GO!", her voice was un-naturally high pitched, the pain clearly heard, the tears that wouldn't fall evident in her voice. The Alien growled, his unique amber eyes with their vertical pupil narrowed, but his hands never let go as he said,

"I will not…Bel…"  
:NO! NO MORE LIES…LET ME GO: Her mind voice filled with so much pain that it felt as though her pain struck him, opened his skin, his heart and bled him. But he didn't let go, he continued,

"Beloved….I DID NOT LIE TO YOU…..please….come back over the rail."

"LEAVE me alone…..". a snarl met her cry and the alien voice, with its multiple harmonic levels said, harshly,

"I WILL NOT!", she went limp, the tears that had refused to fall, now fell fast and furious, and the alien held her by her arms, moving closer to the her, and catching her against his chest, pausing a moment to hold her, eyes closed, keeping her close, Then he reached down, slid his other arm beneath her legs and picked her up, swinging her over the railing and cradling her against him. Her tears soaked the leather of his coat, and her body was racked with her sobs, but he felt her body shiver, and jerk as well. Snarling, he spoke out loud, "Atlantis…let the doctor out…the male one….and send him to the infirmary. I'll meet him there with her…."


	2. Chapter 1 Ten Weeks Earlier

TEN WEEKS EARLIER…..

Kaleah sighed, putting her hand on the back of the huge black dog wearing the orange vest, she spoke softly, "Brace Shay", then used the braced dog to leverage herself to her feet, cursing whoever it was that had showed up at her door. She could have found out, but chose to move her hand to the dogs withers, using it almost as a cane as she made her way to the door. Giving Shay the sit/stay hand command, she leaned on the table as she opened the door. Standing there were three men and a woman, all in Air Force uniforms. Glaring at the man in front, Kaleah snapped, "I gave at the office…go away…", and began to close the door, but the tall man put his foot out, stopping the door before saying,

"Come on, Kaleah…you know I wouldn't be here if it weren't important. Open up….", sighing, the woman named Kaleah made a gesture and the black dog moved back under her hand as she turned, walking painfully back to her chair, leaving the door opened. AS she walked, she looked at the other group of small dogs, sitting quietly, but expectantly in the hallway. Sitting once more in her chair, she said,

"Crates, guys…Shay, lock 'em up…." The small dogs all turned and headed down the hall into a room, as the big black dog followed. The tall man in the Air Force uniform had moved to sit in a chair near where Kaleah sat, the others stood, their hats removed, but making no effort to sit, though they looked around curiously. "What do you want, Jack?" Jack O'Neil, GENERAL Jack O'Neil sighed, he hadn't wanted to come here…but this woman was their best hope. Though he knew her outlook on what he was about to ask her to do, and really didn't want to do this, he had no choice. Clearing his throat, he said,

"You've done a lot of work on Shay, Kaleah…she's very well trained. By the way, this is Lt Colonel John Sheppard and Colonel Sam Carter." The woman, Sam Carter, smiled at her, but the man seemed angry. Sighing, she considered using her gift, but decided instead to allow Jack O'Neil to explain. However, she wasn't about to let him do it in his time…she'd never get the story if she did that. So she said,

"Jack…just spit it out. What do you want?" Sighing, Jack said,

"We need you….or rather, we need your specific talents."

"I'm retired, Jack….I told you that the last time you came here with some sort of proposition…"

"And you eventually helped….after making me jump through a few hoops…", Kaleah grinned then,

"Yeah well, making you jump through a few hoops was fun…the..", she glanced at the other two Air Force officers hesitantly before saying, "headaches that came from giving in were NOT. I told you after that little bit, that I am DONE. No more little 'jobs'…no more 'just a little help'…I'm DONE." Jack leaned forward and said,

"Just hear me out, please Kaleah? This is a national security situation and your…unique talents are very much needed." Kaleah sighed, as Shay re-entered the room and moved to her mistress' side, laying down.

"There are other people with my _unique talents_ Jack….why not go ask one of them?" But Jack was already shaking his head,

"You're specifically perfect for this particular job, Kaleah…no one else can handle it."

"Then you're screwed, aren't you, General? Because I am RETIRED…." The other man, Lt Col John Sheppard cleared his throat and said,

"General O'Neil? Could I speak with you a moment, sir? In private?" Jack glared at his junior officer, but stood and said,

"Excuse me for a moment, Kaleah" The two men stepped outside, leaving the female officer, Sam Carter, and Kaleah sitting in the living room of Kaleah's little house. Staring up at the tall, blond Air Force Officer, Kaleah said,

"Col Carter…won't you please sit down?" sighing, glancing at the door where the two men had gone, Sam Carter sank into a third chair, and looked at this woman who Jack was convinced was the one person who could help them in their current situation. Hesitating, Sam Carter considered what to say, before speaking, then said,

"I hope we haven't disturbed you with our visit today….", Kaleah smiled, then cocked her head, and said,

"Do you know what my _unique talent_, is, Sam?" Col Carter shifted, uncomfortable, not sure what to say. She glanced at the door, and saw the two men she'd come with engaged in a rather heated discussion outside the window. Uncomfortable, Sam looked from the window back to the woman sitting in the chair across the room from her, licking her lips before she said,

"You're a telepath…" Sitting back in her chair, Kaleah grinned.


	3. Chapter 2

"There has to be another way, General! This woman doesn't even look like she can stand up..let alone do what you think she can…."

"Looks can be deceiving, Sheppard…you should know that by now. Kaleah is the best person for this job."

"General…"

"NO! Sheppard, I'm not going to break this down any further for you. Kaleah James is the person we need for this particular problem, and we _have_ to convince her to come to San Francisco…no matter what we have to offer…do I make myself clear, Lt Colonel?", Sheppard snapped to attention, saluting and said,

"Yes sir…"

"Stay out here, Sheppard…..we'll be out when we can…"

"General…"

"That's an order, Sheppard!"

"Yes Sir!"

Jack re-entered the house and noticed the change in the air, immediately. Glancing between the two women, Jack sighed when he noticed the gleam in Kaleah's eyes and the fact that Sam wouldn't look at him. Kaleah said, gleeful,

"So you DID tell people what my gifts are, Jack…I KNEW you couldn't keep your mouth shut….."

"I didn't tell _people_, Kaleah…I told _Sam_…", frowning, Sam glanced up at Jack, who realized what he'd said just after the words escaped his mouth. Kaleah chuckled as Jack said, "Not that Sam isn't a person, because she is..but it's not a _person person_….oh, hell…you know what I mean….." Crossing her arms over her chest, Sam narrowed her eyes at him, and he didn't need to be a telepath to know that he was going to pay for his comments at a later date. Shrugging, he turned back to Kaleah, who grinned at his discomfort and said, "Kaleah…listen to me. We…"

"We?"

"Yes _WE_….the United States Government….we _need_ you. This task is something you're uniquely qualified for. At least let us take you with us and tell you about it….then, if you decide to say no, I'll let it be. I promise, you'll only be gone for an hour…..you can even bring Shay…." Shaking her head, Kaleah said,

"Shay goes with me everywhere, legally…..and I don't _want_ to go with you, Jack. I don't want this job, I'm not interested in whatever little hook you've got to show me…I'm not signing a no disclosure agreement and I'm not….. Who are you talking to, Ja…" The next thing she knew, she was sitting hard on the ground, somewhere she hadn't been, and Shay yelped, alarmed. The sudden stop as her rear hit the ground sent a shockwave of pain through her body and she closed her eyes, trying to get ahead of the pain. Automatically, she cast her mind out, looking for any other talents, finding a few mild talents, probably no one knew they even HAD the mental talents. Opening her eyes, she found Jack offering his hand, and Shay snarled at him and everyone else, turning around, trying to protect her owner. "Shay…sit. Down. Brace Shay" She used Shay to get to herself to her knees, then to her feet, the pain screaming at her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the window that showed the Earth and reached out, touching Jack's mind, realizing where she was. Keeping her face neutral, she said, "I'm not falling for it Jack."

Jack O'Neil said, frowning,

"Look…Kaleah, we've got a serious problem. We…._I_ need you to at least TRY to do this…. I'm authorized to offer you anything you feel is an acceptable. I know that Talia is away now, working…it's just you and your dogs….and I'm willing to extend the invitation to the dogs as well as you and Shay. Sign the damn paper and let me tell you what we need you to do…." Sighing, Kaleah said,

"Jack…the last time I _helped_ the US Government, I nearly lost my mind, my life AND my daughter….Yes, Talia is working for the Government…that's _her_ life….I've _done_ that bit…..I'm not into fending off aliens or saving the world anymore…I am just not physically…."

"What about SAVING Aliens, Kaleah?"

"What?"

"Sign the paper, Kaleah…..trust me, this time, you won't be in ANY danger…"

Glaring at Jack, Kaleah said, "Fine…but I'm not doing it on this damn spaceship…..put us back down in my living room…and don't drop me this time, damn it…..I'm already on too damn many meds, I don't need anymore…"

An Hour Later

"Ok…..so the lost city of Atlantis is real, from another Galaxy and came to Earth to help against a new Alien threat. AND, the same type of Alien tried to help _us_, and is now stranded on the formerly lost city of Atlantis, in San Francisco Bay. And that helpful Alien is telepathic and oh, by the way, he's a type of Space Vampire who sucks the life force out of humanoids in order to supply their nutricional needs. Am I on point, so far?" Before Jack could reply, John Sheppard said,

"I'm not sure he actually tried to _help_ us…more like he tried to manipulate the situation for his own benefit and it ended up helping us…." Jack sat back, keeping his face neutral, right now, he knew that John's predjudice would help convince Kaleah to help them better than anything he, Jack, could say. Kaleah, Jack knew, that couldn't help but support the underdog…or in this case, the under-alien. Sure enough, Jack saw Kaleah frown and purse her lips, saying,

"Did he not bring you the power supplies you needed to bring the city from the other galaxy to this one?"

"well, yeah, but he also…"

"Is he not now stranded on this planet, far from his own people and starving?"

"Well, we can't exactly FEED him…he _**EATS PEOPLE**_! Did you not get that….."

Kaleah glared right back at Sheppard and said,

"Oh, I got it, Sheppard…..I got that his race feeds off the life force of humanoids and after helping us defeat his own race, you want to let him die because you have a moral outrage at his diet?" Sheppard glared at her, not speaking, seemed to not be able to find the words, and Kaleah said, turning to O'Neil, "Ok Jack….here's the deal. I have FULL AND ABSOLUTE authority over anything to do with the Alien or Aliens located on the city. I am going to need quarters separate from the other people, room for my dogs and Shay, and when I request something, the government will _**GIVE IT TO ME**_, as long as it is in the best interest of the Alien or Aliens that I am representing. NO ONE, on the city, or in the government or military will have any authority over what I do in regards to the Alien or Aliens."

"Not a shot….", Sheppard tried to speak, but O'Neil cut him off,

"Fine…deal.", Jack was well aware of Sheppard staring at him, shocked and surprised, but he never took his eyes off Kaleah's as she said,

"And I'll need access to the Federal Prison system, any prisoner with a death sentence, all the files….I'll decide which ones will be brought in, and the military stationed on the city will then guard them until they are….", she raised an eyebrow as she smiled at Sheppard, "_**fed**_ to the Alien or Aliens." Sheppard looked over at O'Neil, fully expecting him to say no, but instead, Jack nodded,

"Deal. Sam, can you get that put in writing by the time we get Kaleah ready to go?" Sam Carter nodded, not looking at Sheppard. She'd been aware that Jack was authorized to agree to pretty much anything to get this woman on board. She smiled at Kaleah and said,

"I'll have all that in writing for you to sign before you get to Atlantis.". Kaleah smiled and said,

"Great….make sure that it read just like I said please….total and absolute authority over anything to do with the Alien OR Aliens present on or in the city." Sam nodded,

"Sure…." Kaleah nodded, and said,

"Right then….let's get moving…."


End file.
